Electric-circuit closer and breaker.



T. H MoQUOWN.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CLOSER AND BREAKER.

' APPLICATION FILED JULYIB, 1004.

Patented De0.5,1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT til THOMAS H. MGQUOVUJ, 0F BIGGSVILLE, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOE. TO ARTHUR ATWATEE KENT, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNEL.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CLGSER AND BREAKER.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. Mc- Quowx, a citizen of the UnitedStatearesiding at lliggsvillc, county of l lenderson, State of Illinois,and whose post-o'llice address is (lambridgeport, Ma'ssachusetts, haveinvented an. Improvement in Electric-Cir cuit Closers and Breakers, oiwhich the tollowing tlOSCl'lptlOD, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings re n-esentinglike parts.

This invention relates to a device for male ing and breaking an electriccircuit. Such devices are frequently used in connection with a varietyof machines where a certain function is performed by the closing of anelectric circuit for a short period of time.

One familiar illustration of the use of a device of this class is foundin gasolene or engines where a circuit is closed and then broken againfor the purpose of obtaining the necessary spark to explode the chargeof gas. Usually devices of this class are connected to some moving partof the machine in connection with which they are used, and therefore thespeed of operation of the de vice depends upon that of said machine. Forthe purpose of accomplishing the desired function it is only necessarythat the circuit be closed and broken again, and the quicker that thebreaking of the circuit can follow the making thereof, the less will bethe consumption of the current, and the longer the life of the batteryor other generator.

My improvements aim to provide a novel circuit maker and breaker inwhich the circuit is broken the instant that it is made regardless ofthe speed of the mechanism to which said device is attached. Theparticular form herein shown is one in which the device is operated bysome reciprocating or oscillating part of the machine to which it isattached, and the invention as shown comprises normally-separatedcontacts, forming part of an electric circuit, a movable contact closingmember adapted at a point in its movement to engage one of the contactsthereby to close them, a vibratory actuator for the contact-closingmember, which actu ator mayeither be an oscillating member or areciprocating member, and means independent from the actuator toaccelerate the movement of the contact-closing member at Specificationof Letters Fatent.

Application filed July 18, 1904.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 216,945.

the point in its mo'veu'ient where it engages one of said cont-acts.

lleterring to the drawings, Figure l is a frontview of one form of myimproved device; Figs. .2 and 3 are similar views showing the parts indifferent positions, and Figs. l, 5, and 6 are modilic.

lii Figs. 1, 2, and 3 nave designated the normally open contacts by 8and 4:, respeclively. Said contacts may be of any suitable or usualkind, and are herein shown as spring contacts mounted on a backing plateor piece 5.

The contact-closing member is designated by (3 and is herein illustratedas rotatable about an axis or pin 7. Laid contact-closing member hasthereon a projection 8 which is adapted at a single point in itsrotation to impinge against or engage one of the contacts thereby toclose the contacts together. i or this purpose I have illustrated thecontact t as carrying a roll 9 against which the projection. S engages.

' in the preferred embodii'nent of my invention the member ii is givenits movement either by an oscillating or a reciprocating part, or by anoscillating part which is connectedv to and is actuated by areciprocating part. In Fig. 2, 1O designates a reciprocating part whichmay be any suitable part of the machine with which the device is to beused. Said reciprocating part is connected to an actuator 11 shown as alever tulcrumed and arranged to oscillate about a pivot 12, said leverbeing connected to the reciprocat ing member by a suitable link 13. Saidactuator 11 is so constructed that during its oscillatory movement ineach direction, it engages and gives forward movement to thecontact-closing member 6, and tor this purpose said actuator has the twoarms 14: and 1.5 each carrying a pawl (said pawls being designated 16and 17 respectively) whichis adapted to engage a shoulder or ratchettooth 18 on. the contactclosing member. With this construction, it willbe seen that. when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, withthe pawl 16 engaging the shoulder 18, a movement of the actuator fromthe position shown in said figure to that shown in Fig. 2 will, throughthe arm 14 and the pawl 16, rotate the contact-closing member in thedirection of the arrow. The parts are so arranged that as the actuatorreaches the limit of its movement one direction, the

pawl 17 slips over and engages the shoulder 18, as seen in Fig. 2. Themovement of the actuator from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shownin Fig. 3 will through the pawl 17 continue the rotary movement of thecontact-closing member 6.

The complete rotation of the contact-closing member 6 brings theprojection 8 against the roll 9 and thereby closes the contact, and toinsure that the contact shall be broken the instant that it is closed, Ihave provided means independent from the actuator for accelerating themovement of the contactclosing member at the point in its movement wherethe projection 8 engages the roll 9. Such means may have any suitable orusual construction although I prefer a spring 20 which is connected tosaid member and is so arranged as to be placed under tension when themember is being turned from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shownin Fig. 3, whereby the resiliency of the spring will act on said memberto accelerate its movement. The spring herein shown is an ordinarycoiled spring fixed at one end to any suitable fixed support, as at 21,and connected at its other end to a link 22 which in turn is connectedto the member 6, as at 23. It will thus be seen that as soon as thecontact-closing member has been rotated into the position shown in Fig.3, and the point 23 has passed the dead center, the tension of thespring will immediately accelerate the movement of the member 6 andthrow it into the position shown in Fig. 1 thereby causing theprojection 8 to impinge against the roll 9 and close the circuit, andimmediately pass oif from said roll thereby allowing the contacts toopen, this movement being accomplished entirely independent of the speedof oscillation of the actuator 11. If desired, I may make the actuator11 in two parts which can be adjustable with relation to each other, asshown in Fig. 5, each of the parts being mounted on the pin 12, one ofthe parts comprising two arms 14 and 15, and another arm 21 whichoverlies the other part comprising an arm 11 having a slot 25 therein.The arm 24 is held to the arm 11 by suitable screws 26. By means of thispin-and-slot connection between the two parts, the position of the arm11 can be adjusted relatively to the arms 14 and 15, if it is foundnecessary in setting up the'device and connecting it to the device withwhich it is used:

In Figs. 1 to 3, the projection or rise 8 upon the member 6 whichimpinges against the roll 9 is formed in the making of the shoulder 18,and is such that the contacts are opened the instant they are closed. Ifit is desired to maintain the contacts closed for a definite length oftime, I may employ the contact-closing member shown in F 1g. 6,

which has a concentric portion 8 of considerable length placed to engagethe roll 9. ith this construction the contacts will be closed during thetime that the concentric portion 8 engages the roll and this time may bevaried by vai ving the length of said ortion 8 In Fig. 4 I have shown aform of my invention wherein the contact-closing member 6 is in the formof a segmental or mutilated gear, that is, it has gear teeth 29throughout only a part of its periphery. The actuator is in the form ofa recipro eating member 11 which has gear teeth 30 thereon to mesh withthe gear teeth 29. The relation between the gear teeth 29 and 30 is suchthat during the movement of the actuator to the right, thecontact-closing member (3 is closed sufficiently to bring the point 2?)beyond the upper dead center and to just clear the teeth 29 from theteeth 30. \Vith the parts in this position the tension of the spring 20will accelerate the movement of the contact-closing member 6 and therebyquickly close and open the contacts independently of the movement of theactuator.

In all the forms of my invention herein illustrated the construction issuch that the contact-closing member 6 is given a complete rotationduring the time that the actuator makes a complete oscillation orreciprocation, that is, a forward and backward movement.

By the terms complete vibration or complete oscillation or completereciprocation as used in the claims, I mean, a back and forth movementor a movement of the actuator from its starting point to the end of thestroke and back again to the starting point.

\Vhile I have herein described some forms of my invention. I do not wishto be limited thereto, as it will be obvious that the details ofconstruction may be changed in many ways without departing from theinvention expressed in the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a circuit-maker and breaker thecombination of a pair of normally open contacts, a rotarycontact-closing member adapted at a point of its rotation to impingeagainst one of said contacts and thereby close said contacts, anoscillatory member having means to engage the contact-closing memberduring its movement in each direction and to rotate it through more thanhalf of a revolution, and means independent of said oscillatory memberto accelerate the rotation of said contact-closing member at the pointin its rotation where it engages said contact.

2. In a circuit maker and breaker the combination of a. pair of normallyopen contacts,

a rotary contact-closing member adapted at a point in its rotation toimpinge against one of said contacts to close a circuit, a forkedoscillatory actuator, a pawl carried by each arm thereofand adapted toengage said contact-closing member and to rotate it through more than ahalf revolution during a single forward and backward oscillation of saidactuator and the means independent of said actuator to accelerate themovement of said contact-closing member at the point where it engagessaid contact, and to return said contact-closing member to its originalposition.

3. In a circuit maker and breaker the combination of a pair of normallyopen contacts,

a rotary contact-closing member, adapted at a point in each movement toimpinge against one of said contacts and close said contacts, anoscillatory member, connections between the latter and saidcontact-closing member to move said contact-closing member through morethan a half revolution during each complete oscillation of saidoscillatory member, and means independent of said oscillatory member toaccelerate the movement of said circuit-closing member as it engagessaid contact and to return said circuit-closing member toits originalposition.

4. In a circuit maker and breaker the combination of a reciprocatingmember, a rotary contact-closing member, means operated by saidreciprocating member to turn said rotary member through a pre-determinedarc in one complete reciprocation of said reciprocating member, andindependent means for turning said rotary member through the remainderof its complete rotation and to restore it to its original positionbefore said reciprocating member begins its next reciprocation and apair of open contacts closed by said rotary member when said rotarymember is moving under the influence of said independent means.

5. In a circuit maker and breaker the combination of a rotatablecircuit-closing member, a vibrating actuator on one side of said member,yielding means tending to hold said member at a fixed predeterminedposition, means between said actuator and said member to turn saidrotary member a pre-determined distance in its rotation by each completeoscillation of said actuator and beyond the dead center on the oppositeside of the axis of said rotary member whereby said yielding means arefree to move said rotary member through the remainder of one completerevolution, and a pair of contact points closed by said rotary memberwhile the same is returning to its normal position under the action ofsaid yielding means.

6. In a circuit maker and breaker the combination of a rotatablecircuit-closing member, yielding means acting normally in a line passmgthrough the axis of said member to hold it in a predetermined position,a vibrating actuator on one side of said member for rotating said memberagainst the action of said yielding means, past the dead center on theopposite side of the axis of said rotatable member, by one completevibration of said actuator, whereby said rotatable member is turnedthrough the remainder of its rotation and to its original position at anaccelerated speed by said yielding means, and a pair of normally opencontacts closed by said rotary member while moving under the action ofsaid yielding means.

7. In a circuit maker and breaker the com bination of a pair of normallyopen contacts, a rotary contact closing member comprising a ratchethaving a singletooth and adapted at a point in its rotation tooperatively engage one of said contacts to close a circuit, yieldingmeans tending to hold said rotary member at a fixed predeterminedposition, a pivoted actuator on one side of said member, a pair of pawlspivoted to said actuator, one of said pawls being in operativeengagement with said tooth, means to oscillate said actuator, the travelof said means to oscillate said actuator in one direction causing thepawl in engagement with said tooth to advance said ratchet and toretract the other of said pawls until both pawls are in engagement withsaid tooth, and the travel of said means to oscillate said actuator, tothe other end of its movement, causing said first mentioned pawl toreverse its movement and to move to its original position and saidsecond pawl to continue the advance movement of said ratchet until saidrotary member and ratchet have advanced beyond the dead center on theopposite side of the axis of: said rotary member, whereby said yieldingmeans are free to move said rotary member through the remainder of onecomplete revolution.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. MCQUOVN.

Witnesses:

LoUIs C. SMITH, BERTHA F. HEUSER.

